Freebording is all about conquering the asphalt and making the concrete yours. No matter where you live you can find excellent Freebord runs to shred. There are groups around the country and around the world (Germany and Australia really love the Freebord) with members ranging from beginner to advanced that are dedicated to discovering the best places to Freebord. Once you get the hang of the Freebord, you might consider joining one. Until then. . .

Many of the places that skateboarders shred are also great places to break out the Freebord. If you like freestyle riding, hit up a skatepark. If you like hill bombing, find out where the longboarders hang. If you want to do a little flatland, hit up the parking lots. Keep your eyes open because you can take your Freebord anywhere.

Freebording in Your Own Back Yard

The best place to start looking for excellent Freebord runs is in your own home town. Have a look around for gradual hills with some length to them, long and winding paths–especially in parks and city owned property—even parking garages can offer an intrepid Freeborder one heck of a run.

College campuses are also a great place to look for runs. There are often large swaths of concrete or asphalt and areas that are dedicate automobile-free zones so you don’t have to worry about getting picked off by a pickup. Beware of trespassing laws and campus security—they might bring a swift end to your Freebord run.

The key is to match the terrain with your skill level. You don’t want to go bombing a steep on the first day you get your Freebord—trust me.

Branching Out Across the United States

Freeborders are great. When they find a chill ride, most of the time they post video to YouTube and Vimeo. Sometimes, they blog about it. We’ve had a look at some of the best Freebord runs around the United States and come up with a few to get you started if you think you’re ready to leave home.

Bascom Hill, Madison, WI – It’s fast, frantic, and a bit gnarly (watch out for the bumps or you’ll eat it!)—perfect for the intermediate or advanced Freebord rider.

Observatory Dr., Madison, WI – Observatory Dr. towards Park St. offers a long winding hill with smooth pavement, perfect for that long mellow ride for someone a few steps up from beginner. Watch out for buses!

N. Breese Terrace, Madison, WI – Right next to Camp Randal, this smooth wide hill gives intermediate riders an excellent Freebord ride without any hassles. (Thanks to tgbrown2 for these)

Parkside Road, New London, NH – A nice mix of mellow hills and flat runs. Perfect for grinding and other intermediate aerial tricks. For a more advance run, try the hill next to Hannaford Supermarket. (Watch the video here.)

Mount Baldy, CA – A fairly mellow hill with some truly tight turns that will keep you on your toes (or on your backside). Good for intermediate level Freeborders. (Watch the video here.)

Santa Barbra, CA – This city if full of a wide range of hills from the mellow to the most gnarly. Whatever your skill level, you’re definitely going to find something here worth riding. (Watch the video here.)

Doak Campbell Stadium, Florida State University, FL – This indoor run is a lot like riding a parking garage without the traffic. Makes sure you know the campus regulations about skateboard/Freebording and always wear a helmet! (Watch the video here.)

Get In the Game

If you want to find the best Freebord runs in your area, get on the Internet. Facebook and MySpace are great places to find groups devoted to Freebording and YouTube will give you tons of video from epic runs. Keep an eye out here too because we’ll post some of the best videos around for you to study.

The most important part of finding a good Freebord run is using your imagination. Don’t just see the sidewalk or the street, or the park path, see it as a snow covered slope and make it yours.